Texas Tech fell one shot shy of pulling off a minor upset of LSU Wednesday in Lubbock.

In a 71-69 game, point guard Robert Turner took a 3-point shot at the buzzer that hit the rim and fell innocently to the floor to preserve a game the Tigers never trailed. It wasn’t the play Red Raider head coach envisioned during a timeout with 10.2 second left after forcing LSU into a shot clock violation.

Turner took the ball all the way down the court, as he was supposed to, but the goal was to dish the ball for a late shot to force overtime or create a higher percentage 3-point shot.

“It wasn’t even close,” Smith said. “There were supposed to be three screens set and I don’t think one was set. Rob was supposed to turn the corner, it’s a two-point game, and he had an option. There was supposed to be a screen, then a flair screen and then a re-screen. I promise you there wasn’t one set.

“To shoot a fall-away three? No. That was not what was drawn up. That was my fault that we drew it up. We didn’t practice it today, but we will practice it tomorrow.”

Jordan Tolbert actually set up a moving screen at the top of the arc, but the referees weren’t looking because it became obvious Turner was going to take the shot about a foot away from the team’s bench.

Texas Tech won multiple statistical categories. It shot a season-high 39 free throws and made 31 from the charity stripe, beat LSU on the boards by one with 28 total and committed five fewer turnovers.

LSU head coach coach and former North Texas coach Johnny Jones has been in some battles with the Red Raiders before. He had nothing but nice things to say about how the team looks under Smith.

“I think the guys (Smith) has inherited here, he’s done an excellent job of getting those guys to play within his system,” he said. “That’s something hard to do very early on, especially when you have a senior dominated club.”

Smith, on the other hand, seemed irritated with some of his key players. That coming after he stated he was concerned with the team’s learning retention immediately following Sunday’s win against Central Arkansas.

“We’ve got to overachieve,” Smith said. “When we don’t overachieve, we’re going to get beat. It’s as simple as that. When (Dejan Kravic is) not fading away from the basket and off balance, when he goes after the ball and rebounds the ball he’s fine. He’ll keep improving. The same way with Kader (Tapsoba). As soon as he learns what his job is, what his role is, and does it we’re going to be winners.

“As soon as I can get Jordan to stop at the basket and go up strong and play some defense, he’s going to be pretty good and we’re going to be pretty good.”

LSU took the an early 5-0 lead and led most of the game. Texas Tech (7-4) tied the game once in the first half and once early in the second half yet never got ahead.

The Red Raiders’ Jaye Crockett led all scorers with 18 points. Turner had another 14 points for the Red Raiders. Kravic recorded 10 rebounds.

All four of Texas Tech’s losses have come against teams from major conferences — No. 1 Arizona, Alabama, Pittsburgh and now LSU. The game against the Tigers was the Red Raiders’ only marquee home game on the non-conference slate.

An improvement considering McNeese State won in Lubbock 367 days prior.

Texas Tech will visit Arizona State on Saturday and then take on Mount St. Mary’s at home prior to beginning Big 12 play.

“It’s not hard,” Smith said. “Just do what you’re told and we’ll be OK. It’s when you do something else like shoot a three. I’m not going to tolerate it and it’s not going to happen again. They’re going to play the way I say play. It’s as simple as that.”

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